Sheffield Steelers: keep calm and carry on

Coach Gerad Adams is ordering his team to maintain their discipline in the final stages of Saturday’s powderkeg game with Nottingham Panthers at the Arena.

In their last match with Panthers, Steelers were frequent visitors to the penalty box in the last period, with Gord Baldwin, Colton Fretter and Dustin Kohn all taking minors in the final three and a half minutes.

Panthers edged it 2-1 on the scoreboard but outshot the South Yorkshire men 49-26. In last Saturday’s home game a Baldwin boarding call - one which Adams deemed a harsh referee ruling - led to a Power Play from which Devils levelled. Ultimately they went on to win.

“Our discipline needs to be better later in the game” conceded Adams. “And there are a few improvements we need, defensively. Sometimes we’ve been over-trying and are too aggressive or undertrying and been lazy. Both are counter-productive.”

Adams has a vision of what he wants to see against Nottingham. “From the off I’d like to see energy and tape to tape passing. Power Play and Penalty Kill has to be good. If we get that, we’ll be fine. In our last home game we didn’t make the passes we should have and were chasing the puck. Nottingham play tonight against Coventry so that will be interesting. They have had to juggle their roster and get short terms guys in with their Champions Hockey League series but they are always dangerous and have an abundance of skill.”